The disclosure relates generally to wireless distribution systems (WDSs), such as distributed antenna systems (DASs), remote radio head (RRH) systems, and small radio cell systems, and more particularly to supporting dynamic gain control in a remote unit(s).
Wireless customers are increasingly demanding wireless communications services, such as cellular communications services and Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) services. Thus, small cells, and more recently WiFi services, are being deployed indoors. At the same time, some wireless customers use their wireless communications devices in areas that are poorly serviced by conventional cellular networks, such as inside certain buildings or areas where there is little cellular coverage. One response to the intersection of these two concerns has been the use of WDSs. Examples of WDSs include DASs, RRH systems, and small radio cell systems (e.g., femotcell systems). WDSs include remote units configured to receive and transmit downlink communications signals to client devices within the antenna range of the respective remote units. WDSs can be particularly useful when deployed inside buildings or other indoor environments where the wireless communications devices may not otherwise be able to effectively receive radio frequency (RF) signals from a source.
In this regard, FIG. 1 illustrates a wireless distribution system (WDS) 100 that is configured to distribute communications services to remote coverage areas 102(1)(1)-102(M)(N), where ‘N’ is the number of remote coverage areas. The WDS 100 can be configured to support a variety of communications services that can include cellular communications services, wireless communications services, such as RF identification (RFID) tracking, WiFi, local area network (LAN), wireless LAN (WLAN), and wireless solutions (Bluetooth, WiFi Global Positioning System (GPS) signal-based, and others) for location-based services, and combinations thereof, as examples. For example, the WDS 100 may be a DAS or an RRH system. The remote coverage areas 102(1)(1)-102(M)(N) are created by and centered on remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) connected to a head-end unit (HEU) 106. The remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) are shown arranged in rows ‘1-M,’ each with columns ‘1-N’ for convenience, and are located in a building 108 or in an area of the building 108. The HEU 106 may be communicatively coupled to a base transceiver station (BTS) or a baseband unit (BBU). The HEU 106 receives downlink communications signals 112D from the BTS and/or the BBU to be communicated to the remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N). The downlink communications signals 112D are communicated by the HEU 106 over a communications link 114 to the remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N). The remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) are configured to receive the downlink communications signals 112D from the HEU 106 over the communications link 114. The remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) may include an RF transmitter/receiver (not shown) and a respective antenna operably connected to the RF transmitter/receiver to wirelessly distribute the communications services to user equipment (UE) 116 within their respective remote coverage areas 102(1)(1)-102(M)(N). The remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) are also configured to receive uplink communications signals 112U from the UE 116 in their respective remote coverage areas 102(1)(1)-102(M)(N) to be communicated to the HEU 106.
With continuing reference to FIG. 1, each of the remote units 104(1)(1)-104(M)(N) may receive multiple uplink communications signals 112U in multiple RF bands. In this regard, each remote unit may first combine the multiple uplink communications signals 112U into a combined uplink communications signal and then convert the combined uplink communications signal into a digital uplink communications signal for transmission to the HEU 106 over the communications link 114. Notably, the remote unit may receive the multiple uplink communications signals 112U at multiple power levels. Accordingly, the combined uplink communications signal has an aggregated power level that is proportionally related to a sum of the multiple power levels of the multiple uplink communications signals 112U. When the remote unit converts the combined uplink communications signal into the digital communications signal, the aggregated power level is represented by a digital amplitude value of a predefined number of binary bits. For example, if the predefined number of binary bits equals ten (10), then the digital amplitude value can represent 1,024 (210) different aggregated power levels.
Notably, it is possible for the digital amplitude value to represent an increased number of the aggregated power level by increasing the predefined number of binary bits associated with the digital amplitude value. As a result, the aggregated power level can be digitally represented with increased granularity. However, increasing the predefined number of binary bits can also result in increased processing complexity and overhead, thus leading to increased hardware and/or software costs in the remote unit. As such, it may be desirable to digitally represent the aggregated power level with acceptable granularity based on reasonable number of binary bits.
No admission is made that any reference cited herein constitutes prior art. Applicant expressly reserves the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of any cited documents.